I was involved in the planning for Hamm Middle School. During that process, the neighbors close to the school were assured that many of the students would be walking from the nearby neighborhoods thus minimizing the number of school buses that would be filling the narrow residential streets that are closest to the school. To me, the proposal to bus students who live close to Hamm to another school is a a "bait and switch" tactic. It was not that long ago when this commitment was made to the neighbors. Failing to honor that commitment will hurt community trust.
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Anonymous
2 years ago
Walkability to schools was a key factor when we selected a neighborhood in Arlington. The logistics of busing children to a school that is not within walking distance puts additional strain on families with two working parents.
M
Megan McNamara
2 years ago
We are in the Donaldson Run Neighborhood and our plan has always been to let the kids walk to middle school. Bussing them would be a waste of resources.
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TYNA HEPBURN
2 years ago
Please
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Anonymous
2 years ago
The school board's proposal is absurd and doesn't consider a plethora of other options that are much less disruptive.
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Anonymous
2 years ago
Our kids have been able to walk to DHMS. We live two blocks away. Other kids in our neighborhood should have the same right. Be smart. Be kind. Plan with sanity.
P
Patti Kelly
2 years ago
Why bus kids to school when they ca walk to the school closest to them? What is the cost involved? It is good for kids to be outside and walking is good exercise.
E
Elizabeth Lord
2 years ago
Walk ability and creation of a neighborhood middle school - to ensure continuity from elementary school - were key objectives when DHMS was created just a handful of years ago. It makes no sense to reverse course now.
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Anonymous
2 years ago
We live 2 blocks from D-H. Seriously?
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Peter Witham
2 years ago
Dorothy Hamm is 2 blocks from our house. How does it make sense to bus a kid to a school likely taking over 30 minutes when DH is a 5 minute walk??? Who on earth dreamed up this idea?
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Alicia albornoz
2 years ago
I agree
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Quinn Walpole
2 years ago
DHMS was my middle school and I used to walk to it with my friends and we really bonded then and I want my brother to be able to experience the same thing
J
James hainer
2 years ago
Yeah
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Erin McCants Parker
3 years ago
It will be a shorter walk to Hamm than it is to Taylor, one that my children are eager to do. This proposal must be reconsidered.
K
Kristen Janik
3 years ago
I chose our house specifically so my daughter could walk to her schools. It’s absurd to think that she may potentially need to ride a bus to a school further away than the one she can easily walk to. This is unacceptable and poor planning as well as a waste of money to create unnecessary bus routes.
J
Jack Simms
3 years ago
Keep Hamm Walkable for our kids and our community!
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Anonymous
3 years ago
It's baffling that shipping every kid north of Lorcom to Williamsburg is seriously being considered. Many of these kids are a five minute walk from Hamm, which is only expected be at 92% capacity in 2028. How can bussing them across the county possibly be justified? That's a much greater evil than letting a few classrooms sit empty at Williamsburg.
D
Douglas Levy
3 years ago
The APS proposal to bus so many "walking" students from Hamm to Williamsburg is not in the best interests of the students.
M
Melissa Heelan
3 years ago
This idea makes no sense, especially since the reason for starting middle school so (too) early is the lack of enough buses!
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Joshua Archibald
3 years ago
With respect, this redistricting plan is bonkers. One point of moving HB and creating Hamm was a walkable, local middle school. Changing the boundaries now to move so many people who are quite close to a long bus ride reflects misplaced priorities. Ignoring the shortage of bus drivers, the dangers from more buses on the road, the increased number of parent drivers, and the climate negativity, telling people who live a 3 minutes walk away their kids need to go to Williamsburg is just...wierdly cruel and incompetent.
Please prioritize the children, not the school system.
I was involved in the planning for Hamm Middle School. During that process, the neighbors close to the school were assured that many of the students would be walking from the nearby neighborhoods thus minimizing the number of school buses that would be filling the narrow residential streets that are closest to the school. To me, the proposal to bus students who live close to Hamm to another school is a a "bait and switch" tactic. It was not that long ago when this commitment was made to the neighbors. Failing to honor that commitment will hurt community trust.
Walkability to schools was a key factor when we selected a neighborhood in Arlington. The logistics of busing children to a school that is not within walking distance puts additional strain on families with two working parents.
We are in the Donaldson Run Neighborhood and our plan has always been to let the kids walk to middle school. Bussing them would be a waste of resources.
Please
The school board's proposal is absurd and doesn't consider a plethora of other options that are much less disruptive.
Our kids have been able to walk to DHMS. We live two blocks away. Other kids in our neighborhood should have the same right. Be smart. Be kind. Plan with sanity.
Why bus kids to school when they ca walk to the school closest to them? What is the cost involved? It is good for kids to be outside and walking is good exercise.
Walk ability and creation of a neighborhood middle school - to ensure continuity from elementary school - were key objectives when DHMS was created just a handful of years ago. It makes no sense to reverse course now.
We live 2 blocks from D-H. Seriously?
Dorothy Hamm is 2 blocks from our house. How does it make sense to bus a kid to a school likely taking over 30 minutes when DH is a 5 minute walk??? Who on earth dreamed up this idea?
I agree
DHMS was my middle school and I used to walk to it with my friends and we really bonded then and I want my brother to be able to experience the same thing
Yeah
It will be a shorter walk to Hamm than it is to Taylor, one that my children are eager to do. This proposal must be reconsidered.
I chose our house specifically so my daughter could walk to her schools. It’s absurd to think that she may potentially need to ride a bus to a school further away than the one she can easily walk to. This is unacceptable and poor planning as well as a waste of money to create unnecessary bus routes.
Keep Hamm Walkable for our kids and our community!
It's baffling that shipping every kid north of Lorcom to Williamsburg is seriously being considered. Many of these kids are a five minute walk from Hamm, which is only expected be at 92% capacity in 2028. How can bussing them across the county possibly be justified? That's a much greater evil than letting a few classrooms sit empty at Williamsburg.
The APS proposal to bus so many "walking" students from Hamm to Williamsburg is not in the best interests of the students.
This idea makes no sense, especially since the reason for starting middle school so (too) early is the lack of enough buses!
With respect, this redistricting plan is bonkers. One point of moving HB and creating Hamm was a walkable, local middle school. Changing the boundaries now to move so many people who are quite close to a long bus ride reflects misplaced priorities. Ignoring the shortage of bus drivers, the dangers from more buses on the road, the increased number of parent drivers, and the climate negativity, telling people who live a 3 minutes walk away their kids need to go to Williamsburg is just...wierdly cruel and incompetent. Please prioritize the children, not the school system.